Dave and Jenny Rix invited us to join them for a week at Sobhengu timeshare. Mike and Jane Roseblade and Cecil and Jenny Fenwick also came along.

Sobhengu is located at the tip of the Nibela peninsular in the Isimangaliso Wetland Park.

Map showing Sobhengu location

It is connected to the Nibela Lake Lodge by boardwalks and along a 4×4 track. Our Chalet had a commanding view over the lake and was set in pristine sand forest. It consisted of four en suite bedrooms, a huge lounge, kitchen, a large outdoor deck overlooking the lake and a boma braai area.

Entrance to the cottage

The braai at work

From the lounge to the kitchen

A bedroom with views across the lake and into the forest

View from the deck

View from the deck

The way down to the other 2 bedrooms – all ensuite

Braai area at front

We were well looked after by the always smiling and helpful staff.

Nibela Lake Lodge and Sobhengu share a huge private area of pristine forest with numerous well signed walking trails in good condition.

Sobhengu Trail Map

Much of our time was spent walking the trails in the forest looking for bird parties. Often we heard special species without being able to find them – though we did get lucky with some. Green Malkoha, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Gorgeous, Grey-headed and Orange-breasted Bushshrikes, Green and Pink-throated Twinspots, Narina Trogon, African Broadbill, Eastern Nicator, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Bearded and Brown Scrub-Robins, White-throated Robin-Chats, Black Sparrowhawk, African Wood-Owl all made their presences known – most unsighted. The Twinspots, Trogon, Nicator, the Robins and Sparrowhawk were the exceptions.

The trails were not only through the forest but also along the water’s edge and at the furthermost point from our cottage there were fossils to be found close to the beach.

Pristine forest

Pristine forest

Pristine forest

Pristine forest

Pristine forest

Pristine forest

Birding along the fossil trail

Birding near the fossils Mike, Jane Jenny R and Cecil

Fossil trail after you exit the forest

Fossil trail entering the forest

Fossils

Sea Fossils

Amonite fossil with leaf fossil on its shell

Fossil face

Fossil face

Later on, as the sun warmed things up, butterflies were everywhere. Perhaps someone will have a go at naming #2, #24 and #27 captured in photographs at the end?

Vine-leaf Vagrant – very tatty

Vine-leaf Vagrant

left – Vine-leaf Vagrant right – Sulphur Orange Tip – male

Sulphur Orange Tip – male

Sulphur Orange Tip – male

Sulphur Orange Tip – female

Sulphur Orange Tip – female

Sulphur Orange Tip – female

Common Bush Brown

Pearl Charaxes

Pearl Charaxes

Pearl Charaxes

Pearl Charaxes

Pearl Charaxes

Mocker Swallowtail – male

Common Dotted Border

Common Dotted Border

Evening Brown

Evening Brown

Evening Brown

Evening Brown

Common Evening Brown

African Wood White

African Wood White

Moth – one of the footmen?

Moth

Golden Piper

Club-tailed Charaxes

Club-tailed Charaxes – female

Club-tailed Charaxes

Clouded Flat

Clouded Flat underside

Spiller’s Sulphur Yellow

Barker’s Smokey Blue

Dancing (Small Orange) Acraea

Dancing Acraea

Broad-bordered Grass Yellow

Broad-bordered Grass Yellow

Black Pie

Scarlet Tip

Butterfly 2

Butterfly 24

Butterfly 27

And there were flowers to catch our attention too.

Barleria with morning dew

Cape Honeysuckle

Unknown Forest flower

And the occasional forest magic.

A floating leaf

A floating leaf

Of course there were other beasties too which Jane had a habit of walking into. Fortunately her keen eyes did not let her down.

Vine Snake

Vine Snake

Vine Snake

Vine Snake

Vine Snake

Jane’s Python on the move – photo by Jane Roseblade

Kite Spider

Kite Spider and web

Kite Spider and web

Locust head

Locust

Monster Catterpiller

Monster Catterpiller

Monster Catterpiller showing pink rump

Monster Catterpiller

Mike and Jane took a diversion to have a not-so-quick game of chess while some of us watched soaking up the sun on a coolish morning.

Serious Birding – Mike vs Jane

Then of course there is the local wetland area about 15 kms from the Nibela Gate. Lucky, our guide took us there. Great flat wetland area and a must for any birders.

There were numerous waders to be seen in and around the water’s edge including Common and Curlew Sandpipers (unusual for the time of year) Pied Avocets, Kittlitz’s Plovers, Little Stints, Common Greenshank to name a few.

Curlew Sandpipers

However our target was Longclaws – and we saw all three of them. The Rosy-throated being the most prominent and obliging. We had wonderful sightings of both males and females. And there were Pale-crowned Cisticolas calling and displaying too.

Rosy-throated Longclaw – male

Rosy-throated Longclaw – female

Rosy-throated Longclaw – female

Rosy-throated Longclaw – male

Cisticola – Pale-crowned

Cape Longclaw

African Wattled Lapwing

African Wattled Lapwing

On the way to Sobhengu we took a short detour into Hluhluwe Game Reserve and had some good sightings of Rhinos, Buffaloes, Elephant and Lions as well as many birds. The most notable of which was the Black-crowned Tchagra – singing and on display.

Black-crowned Tchagra

Inquisitive young Giraffe

More aggressive posture –
young Giraffe

Dark-capped Yellow Warbler in flight

Dark-capped Yellow Warbler

African Hoopoe

Cisticola

Two male lions -very obscured

Another male Lion relaxing in the sun

This was not to be our only visit to Hluhluwe Game Park.

News came through on the Sunday from Trevor Hardaker that a Striped Crake had been seen at Thiyeni Hide. Sally and I decided to try our luck on the Monday and Cecil and Jenny Rix came with us.

Now I cannot remember when this hide was last open – probably a good 10 years ago or more so I was surprised to hear that it was open.

Anyway we head off nice and early. No traffic in the park until we turned off the tar onto the gravel. Disgruntlement in the car as the car in front was, it appeared to be dawdling and some in our party were getting anxious to get there. I was happy cruising along behind.

At the turnoff to the hide, the car in front makes the turn – aha they have come to see the bird too – as I suspected. The walkway to the hide is overgrown and part of the fencing looks as though an elephant has come through. Not only that but the entrance to the walkway is well hidden.

The other couple – (Adrian and Sue as we later learned) were well ahead of us by the time we got to the hide itself. The hide was in dismal shape with layer upon layer of bat pooh underfoot – thankfully less so on the benches.

We sit and wait. Then after five minutes the Striped Crake is seen by Adrian swimming across the water into the reeds on our left. We now know where to focus and eventually the Crake appears and gives us a good sighting before disappearing again. Several more times it appeared briefly and then remained in hiding for several hours until Nicky and Ticky Forbes arrived. We left and they later told us they had great close sightings after waiting patiently for some time.

A Slender Mongoose popped out in the same area as the Striped Crake so we hope he did not have the Crake for supper.

Striped Crake – female

Striped Crake – female

Striped Crake – female

Striped Crake – female

Slender Mongoose

Slender Mongoose

We later heard that the hide was meant to have been closed. If so we were fortunate to have been able to have such a good sighting of the Striped Crake.

Some of the characters at large in the chalet party.

The braai at work

Cecil at work, Paul giving unwanted suggestions

Smoked Out – Dave

Serious business – with Cecil

We are hungry

Jane

Jane and Sally

Dave and Jenny F

Mike on the can.

Jenny F enjoying the cooking

Where is the beer – Cecil and Dave

Birding near the fossils Mike, Jane Jenny R and Cecil

In all we recorded 117 bird species in Sobhengu and the wetland area. Click here to see the list.